This invention relates to a method of prestressing materials, particularly brittle materials such as ceramics including refractories, heavy clay products and pottery. The invention is generally applicable to other materials, such as cermets, whose structural properties can be improved by the prestressing method disclosed herein.
Heretofore, the conventional techniques for applying mechanical prestress to concrete structures have been attempted with ceramic materials. However, such techniques have not proven entirely satisfactory since ceramics are usually subjected to extreme service conditions such as high temperatures in which such conventional prestressing techniques are inadequate. In other cases the cost and difficulty of mechanically prestressing such materials has been excessive. There is, therefore, a need for a new and improved method for prestressing ceramic materials and products.